‘Bird nerds’ exalt Canonsburg eagles
From right, John Buswell, Ron Parry and Tom Quinn watch for eagles at Canonsburg Lake last week.
An eagle carries a branch to its nest at Canonsburg Lake.
The eagles at Canonsburg Lake. The female, front, can be identified by the brown on her face.
A bald eagle rests on a sandbar on Canonsburg Lake.
Within 24 hours of creating a fan page for the Canonsburg Lake eagles, John Buswell had 522 followers.
When Buswell told his 14-year-old son, the teen replied, “Wow. Five-hundred-twenty-two bird nerds.”
“I liked it,” said Buswell of the nickname. “Everyone who is into it loves to share their knowledge. Everyone I’ve come into contact with, they love all the flora and fauna, and take some unbelievable photos.”
The female and male bald eagles that were first documented at Canonsburg Lake early last spring now have more than 1,000 online followers. Birders are lakeside daily to observe the duo hunting, gathering and, recently, mating.
“There’s a strong possibility it might be an active nest,” he said.
Buswell, a Cecil Township resident, believes an egg was laid on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17. If the egg is viable, the incubation period would be 35 days, making April 21 the estimated hatch date.
Buswell, who started the Facebook page, “Canonsburg Lake Eagles,” said he and other followers have witnessed the male and female staying close to the nest and exhibiting behaviors that appear to be incubation behavior, like egg rolling.
A bird enthusiast since his childhood in Peters Township, Buswell followed the eagles that are nesting in the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Hays. He would drive the 50-mile round trip regularly and sit, sometimes for hours, hoping to catch a glimpse.
About a month ago, Buswell saw posts on local social media about people seeing eagles at Canonsburg Lake. He did an internet search and found an Observer-Reporter photo from April of one mid-flight, a twig in its talons. The next morning, he drove to the lake and almost immediately, spotted not one, but two, of the birds of prey.
“I remember growing up, I used to think I would never see a bald eagle. Growing up, it was an enigma – our nation’s symbol,” he said. “For me, it’s something that I always wanted to see and never thought I would. The fact that they’re at Canonsburg Lake, I can’t believe it.”
His page features photos of the pair against a blue sky, building their nest and soaring. Photos of other wildlife, including ducks and hawks, also get posted.
“The lake is healthy and that environment has gotten so better,” Buswell said. “There’s so much negative in the world, it’s nice to see something positive.”
Washington resident Brian McKnight also fostered his eagle “obsession” after seeing the Hays birds. McKnight, who takes up to 1,000 pictures every weekend of the Canonsburg duo, often prints his photos and gives them to people he meets.
He has traveled to Pittsburgh, Ohio and West Virginia to watch the birds, often with fellow enthusiasts he has met over the years.
“There’s more eagles than everybody actually knows about,” he said. “They’re addictive. Once you see them soaring, you’re always going to look up.”
While Buswell and McKnight are all for eagle enthusiasts, they’re most concerned about promoting the duo without disrupting their habitat. Buswell often posts the Audobon Society’s guidelines for eagle watching and asks followers to obey private property laws.
He said the best viewing spot can be found by parking in the boat launch lot, which can be accessed by taking Route 19 to McDowell Lane.
“You have a great shot from there. If you sit there, you’re going to see them,” he said. “People think they have to be close to the nest. That’s not the case. (The eagles) are very active, especially in the morning.”
Lt. Kris Wagstaff of the North Strabane police department said no complaints have been filed in connection with eagle watching since April, which concerned trespassing on Lakeside Drive, a private road. He advised people to park on public property, being sure not to block driveways.
According to the Audobon Society, eagles first breed at four to five years old and can mate for life.
Because the female still has some brown feathers on her face, McKnight believes she is about four-and-a-half years old, and the male is a little older. He said the birds are about 40 inches tall with wingspans of six feet.
He and other eagle enthusiasts have been in communication with the state Game Commission in an attempt to have the nest deemed “active,” which would offer more protection.
Built by both sexes, the nest can be reused and added to for years.
“We don’t want to scare them away,” Buswell said. “We want our kids to grow up with bald eagles.”